What GPU is equivalent to the PS5? Explained

As PC components advance, gaming consoles slowly evolve with them, making the PS5 GPU relatively powerful

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Are you building a PC and looking for PS5-like performance? Have you ever had that discussion with a buddy about whether your PC hardware beats their PS5? Well, in this article, we answer the question of what GPU is equivalent to the PS5, by comparing the specs of the PS5 with multiple impressive GPUs.

Speaking solely about the graphics card solution, in order to have a desktop that beats the Sony PlayStation 5, you will need at least an AMD RX 5700 XT or an Nvidia RTX 3060. Those GPUs matched with a well-rounded CPU, such as the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, will make a PC that beats the PS5 in performance.

However, raw specs aren’t everything you have to check. The main feature of the PS5 is compatibility and optimization. Developers make games specially optimized to run on such consoles, making them more efficient and capping FPS with lower-end specs. Let’s see how this factors in!

Before we get started, we thought you might be interested in some of our other coverage on similar topics. Including our PS5 pro release date speculation or our how to transfer data from PS4 to PS5 guide.

What graphics card does the PS5 have?

The PS5 features an advanced GPU solution by AMD known as the Oberon graphics processor, which was released on November 12th, 2020. It is built on a 7nm process and its variant, the CXD90044GB, does not support DirectX. The Oberon GPU is based on the RDNA 2 architecture and is quite a large chip boasting a die area of 308 mm² and 10,600 million transistors. It offers 2,304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs.

This GPU is able to work efficiently whilst running demanding software due to its 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM memory, connected through a 256-bit memory interface. The GPU operates at a speed of 2,233 MHz and the memory runs at 1,750 MHz (14Gbps effective).

The impressive specs of the Oberon graphics processor facilitate the high visual standard of the PS5, and we want to know what other GPUs can create such a standard. Let’s find out the equivalent GPU.

What PC GPU is equivalent to the PS5?

The PS5 competes with other high-end gaming graphics solutions, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series and the AMD Radeon RX 6000 series GPUs. These GPUs are designed for high-performance gaming and support advanced graphics technologies such as real-time ray tracing and AI-based features.

The exact comparison between the PS5 GPU and other GPUs would depend on the specific models and their respective specifications. We’ve found GPUs with similar specs to the AMD Oberon graphics processor that will provide similar gaming experiences for PC gamers. Let’s dive right in, here’s our list of GPUs equivalent to the PS5:

  • RTX 2070
  • RX 5700 XT
  • RTX 3060
  • RX 6700 XT
  • RTX 3070
  • RTX 3080
  • RX 6800 XT

So even a lower-end GPU of a more recent generation can accomplish the same tasks. In fact, a newer RTX 3060 or RX 6600 XT can outperform the 2070, making them great options, especially as a more affordable and entry-level choice.

When buying single components, as opposed to an entire console, they become more significant. You have more options to choose from, including higher-end options beyond the 3060 and 6600 XT. Therefore, popular GPUs such as the RTX 3080 and RX 6800 XT can be great upgrades for your gaming PC and enhance its capabilities, particularly in comparison to an integrated PC system.

What CPU does the PS5 have?

Along with its impressive Oberon graphics processor, the PS5 hosts an integrated CPU. The PS5 uses an eight-core AMD Zen 2 CPU that has a variable frequency of up to 3.5GHz. The variable frequency used in this CPU allows the processor to not have to run at a full 3.5GHz constantly if it doesn’t need to.

Wrapping up

Finding powerful graphics cards that are equivalent to the high-end graphics of console gaming, could be the step that enhances your system significantly. In this article, we’ve collated a list of seven PC graphics cards that provide the same cutting-edge graphics as the PS5. We hope this has aided you in any decision-making process regarding the components of your rig.

Camilo is a contributor for PC Guide. He's been into tech since he was a teen, surfing through the web and local stores trying to find the cheapest way to play the latest Half-Life on his old Windows